SYNOPSIS: Practical Pentax Improvements (Part 1 -The Setting)...

[Russell Evans]

Add the option to the flash menu to change the wireless channel on the camera so that you don't need to mount the flash on the body. We are on what, the fifth or sixth body to use the on board flash as a master of controllor, and we still need to mount the flash to change channels?

Thank you
Russell

--
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/do_i_know_you/

 

[GordonBGood]

I would like to see a programmable RAW key. I always shoot in RAW, so it's completely wasted on my K20D. Perhaps it could be used as a USER 2 button.

Dan, I agree, and this ties in with a request further up the thread that we should have a programmable function button. There aren't any spare buttons on entry level cameras such as the K-x and the green button is already programmable, but for those cameras that have the RAW button, I agree that it should be programmable to functions other than RAW.

With increasing in CPU power I want to see HDR better implemented. There should be auto-aligning between multiple shoots so HDR can be done handheld. There should be more control over HDR processing & an option to have the separate shoots from a HDR sequence saved separately (RAW, as well as JPG) for further processing, should be available.

I think that what many people don't understand is that the CPU on cameras is always going to be somewhat limited due to the requirement that it be low power. Much of the instantaneous processing "magic" is done by using custom hardware imaging engines as in PRIME2 using Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC's), and these aren't nearly as flexible in what they can be programmed to do as what people think of as CPU's. For instance, this is why lens corrections slow the camera processing rate so much in the K-7 and K-x: the processing is carried out by the slow main CPU of the camera.

IMO, HDR functions should really be done using a computer, and the camera's main role is to try to help us gather the shots to be combined. Also, HDR isn't so much a make or break function of the camera, but rather a feature than camera manufacturers have been able to add to help distinguish makes and models from each other in my view.

More CPU power could mean the inclusion of features like in-camera image stacking for NR or for super resolution.

As above.

Auto-leveling should improve in scope. I think the K-7 can do + -1 degree. If that's the limit of the SR sensor-twisting, why not with increased CPU power, add electronic rotation as well. Say you need 3 degrees of correction. The sensor twisting can do the first degree. As long as the acceleratometers can sense the tilt past that limit, have the camera rotate the picture the remaining 2 degrees. Have it auto-crop the angular edges. Sure you lose a bit of the picture size, but the same thing happens when you do this in software in PP and it would be great if the camera could handle + - 3 degrees of tilt. That would certainly make my PP quicker.

As above. Doing these image rotation calculations using the camera's main CPU would slow image processing just as lens corrections do, and in fact is just a special case of the same kinds of mathematical operations. Doing this in the hardware imaging engine means an extensive redesign of the hardware imaging engine to add the capabilities in something like PRIME3.

In summary, your suggestion of a programmable RAW is eazy and could be done in any current camera with a firmware change. Doing any of the others in a timely manner requires a major upgrade to PRIME.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[pundit]

n/t
--
If all else fails... just get a bigger lens!

 

[thxbb12]

Excellent suggestions, Gordon.

As I don't have a K-x nor a K-7 (I have a K20D), I can't really comment on several points.

However the one thing I would really welcome is the ability to set the minimum shutter speed. As far as I know, Nikon DSLRs now offer this feature which I find extremely useful.

It would act a bit as TAv, expect that the speed would not be constraint to a fixed value. Instead, the value would be floating with a hard minimum.

I would be very useful, especially in low light. Typically, in dark conditions I set the camera to Av mode and I set my aperture to f/2. My auto iso is set to 100-1600. Often the camera chooses iso 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/50 when I know I could easily work at 1/20.

Such a change should be easy to implement and it could very well be added to a new firmware revision.

--
Florent

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/home#section=ARTIST&subSection=5064300
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/

 

[GordonBGood]

If we talk only about firmware improvements, here is what I'd like to see.

1) remove some self-imposed limits

• The intervalometer is limited to 99 shots only, why? (K-7)
• bracketing is limited to + - 2EV for 3 shots (K-7). Funnily the K-x allows up to 3EV. On the K-7 you need to use 5 shots to go up to 4EV. But again, the display would allow up to 5EV, why not use it to the fullest?

Would seem to be an easy change to make and the K-x doing some of the things indicates that Pentax may be thinking along the same lines and getting there.

2) more use of the dials in the menus. For example when changing drive mode, flash mode or WB, the dials could be used to quickly switch from one option to the other. There are also other places when the dials could be useful.

Yes, use the e-dials where ever possible. But aren't we already there with the K-x? I can't put my hands on the camera physically, but from my wife's testing and from the manual, I understand that is how it works unless you need to drop to one of the sub functions to change some of the special variations, in which case you need to use the arrow keys to get there. Perhaps the K-x has been improved even further above the K-7 in this regard?

3) some options (JPEG related) are greyed out if you shoot in raw, even raw+JPEG.

I would think that Pentax have done this for a reason in order to not unduly slow the extra time requirements to output the large raw file by having to do the complex and slower extra JPEG functions. See my reply to "extra CPU power" suggestions in a previous post.

4) Fix the HyperProgram bug on the K-7 (When using Tv hyper, the camera refuse to stop down more than f/2.8 if set to autoISO 100-6400, f/4 if autoISO=100-3200, etc. [seems with the firmware 1.02.0016 it's still not fixed but will go one stop further, f/4 for autoISO 100-6400 f/5.6 for 100-3200, etc.]

Ok, is see from previous threads that many have this problem, although I have little experience with use of the K-7 myself.

5) more accurate liveview magnification (but I guess it's not possible by firmware?) And why limit to 6x in AF mode?

I don't know the reason for the limit on zoom, but assume that there is a valid one in that Pentax usually don't limit such features needlessly. I assume that it may be due to the limited readout resolution from the sensor, and thus is a technology limitation.

6) On the K-7, fix the raw button once and for all. Would it be difficult to give an option to switch from the only 3 possible modes? As it is it's still useless. In the process, I would also make it a more general Fn button so we can program it to something more useful (could be center AF point for example, or switch quickly one option)

Are you sure that the modes offered are useless? I find the RAW button useless only because I shoot exclusively in raw anyway, but have the button programmed so it would be of use if I even did use it: ie. I have it programmed to switch to JPEG for just the next succession of shots (continuous) and then revert back to raw.

The use as a more general programmable Fn button has been covered in other posts.

7) AF calibration. Once again, a limit that makes no sense to me: the correction is limited to + -10. Also, the process of testing and setting the correction is really cumbersome as you have to go back into the menu and traverse them each time you try a small correction. An AF correction mode would be welcome with some aids to help the process of calibrating lenses.

You make a valid point if true. I have no experience with the K20D and K-7 multi lens correction modes, but only with use of the Debug Menu global setting, where one can change by quite large amounts at a time and the amounts are actually accumulative so that if one applies the maximum +100 for one correction and then applies another +100, they get +200.

One thing that could be said in defense of Pentax in any inconvenience in using lens corrections is that these corrections are usually only done once per new lens acquired and isn't something that affects day to day use of the camera.

continued in part 2 response GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

continued from part 1 response...

8) display ISO at the bottom of the screen in review mode, that apply to both K-7 and K-x. I care less to see which mode (raw or jpeg) I use than the ISO. It should be at least an option to chose.

IMO, ISO should be shown any time the other big two settings that affect exposure are, aperture value and shutter speed. I've gotten into the habit of using the Info button to get the detailed display for this information, but I see no reason that ISO shouldn't be added to the current information displayed.

9) give an option to assign the LV button to video. Or start video directly from LV. It's annoying to have to use the dial for that, it's not fast enough (particularly on the K-7 with its mode dial lock).

Seems reasonable.

10) give us full manual control in video. Shouldn't be that hard. Same with sound, autogain should be possible to be disabled.

I think that as per the change above, video functions and usability will evolve over the next few model generations, as the capability is so new to DSLR's

11) on the K-7, make 24p video an available option. If you have both K-7 and K-x it's a bit strange to mix 24p and 30p videos.

I think that the current frame rates make be set by the current hardware of the sensor capabilities.

12) AF in video, even if it's slow. I know it was available on K-7 beta firmware.

An option that could be turned on with the other video options as per your above suggestions seems reasonable. Fits under "DSLR video is evolving".

13) Metering. Gives us a fourth option, more digital friendly: the ETTR. Expose to the right as much as possible given any situations. Right now, I'm a bit tired of doing exposure compensation because the sky is only 15% of the picture and becomes overexposed.

I don't think that it's possible to design a matrix metering system to please everyone. However, I think what you are asking can be boiled down as "preserve the raw highlights in all channels" matrix metering mode, which should be quite easy within the limitations of the whatever the limit of the size of the metering segments.

14) add UniWB to the WB presets. And gives us a true RAW histogram or at least a linear JPEG option that is very close to the pure RAW.

I think it would be easier to just have an option to change the histogram from a JPEG histogram to a full raw histogram, even if it is non-linear. The problem with a limited resolution linear histogram is that it won't reveal much as to the details in that most of the information will be clustered as a clump toward the left.

15) more AF options, especially in AF-C where the continuous shooting is slowed down. A priority to select for speed or accuracy for example.

Part of the problem with adding a lot of optional things is that it gets more and more confusing for some levels of user to set up their camera to an optimal state for their use. Many things discussed here that are valid options for an upper level enthusiast camera such as the K-7 successor are too much for the intended market for the K-x entry level camera. Pentax have to tread a fine line between adding functionality and avoiding the impressions of over complexity in menus and options that would again be listed as a con in review sites, depending on the intended market for the particular camera model.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

2) Improving the built in flash systems use of Auto ISO with flash use : When there are dark backgrounds, the Pentax flash system from even cameras before the K-7 and K-x and including them increase Auto ISO to its set maximum limit too frequently, resulting in too many flash shots taken at a higher ISO sensitivity than necessary when the focussed subject(s) is(are) much closer than so as to require use of that higher ISO sensitivity. Currently, the only workaround for this unwarranted use of too high an ISO is to stop using Auto ISO for flash photography in those situations. It would seem to me that a simple fix would be to have the camera try to limit the highest ISO setting for flash use so as to be based on the known aperture for the exposure setting and the focus distance known from the lens. In this way, if the aperture were say f/5.6 and the subject were only 2 meters away as per the focus distance, the maximum ISO that should normally be considered would be about ISO 400, as that is adequate so that the flash can reach the subject within it's flash exposure compensation range.

I have been struggling with this some time ago too, I didn't understand why virtually all my indoor shots are taken at F8 and the maximum auto ISO value I specified. Then, someone pointed out that the higher ISO allowed to take in more ambient light, in order not to have a "deer in the headlights" shot with a pitch black background.

However, that doesn't explain why the camera almost always chooses to stop down to F8, regardless of the lens. If the lens is wide open (or almost wide open), a similarly or better illuminated background can be achieved with a lower or or similar ISO. There seems to be an IQ trade off here between the chosen ISO and F values, but surely, stopping down to an F8 sweet spot is too far in one direction?

If I am understanding this wrong, please somebody, explain it to me, understanding it will make me a better photographer. But if I am getting this right, then the problem (to me) is less one of choosing too high an ISO value, and more one of stopping down the lens too much.

I think you'll find that the camera priorities in flash are as follows:

1. Set the shutter speed to below the sync speed but high enough (> 1/1.5 FL - Focal Length) so as to avoid blurring backgrounds that the flash can't reach.

2. Set aperture according to the Program line, whether it be for a portrait, landscape, etc.

3. Set ISO in order to maximize brightness for the metered background, thus is boosts it to the maximum for dark backgrounds due to not taking the distance to the subject (focus distance) into account.

These priorities mean that the flash by default takes on a Fill Flash role, and one can't argue with that as a default as it is it's most common role. My only problem with it is that it doesn't take the distance to subject into account and thus we end up with too many highest permitted Auto ISO shots.

If you need other than Fill Flash type priorities, then you need to take over manual control using for instance Av mode, put the camera into one of the scene modes that changes the priority (ie portrait with flash for lower aperture values as a priority), or change the program line for upper level cameras such as the K-7.

I don't really have a problem with the current operation of automatic flash other than for the too often too high ISO's in Auto ISO mode.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

I have this happening on my K-m. Why not remove this rotary dial and implement a button type selector? Use the extra space for more button operated functions.

Irek, I suppose we have the rotary dial because it has become somewhat traditonal and the good thing about it is that the user can be reminded of all the available options at a single glance instead of having to step through them.

What you propose with selection buttons would be more like adding all the usual standard exposure modes and the dedicated scene settings to a menu system much like the SCN modes work now. I think that many would be unhappy with that as to speed and convenience of changing modes.

Again, you can't please everybody. Pentax is aware of the problem, so added a lock for the K-7. People complain about the lock. There is no lock on the K-x. People complain because one can accidentally change settings.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

And thus it has been suggested that there be a Custom Menu function to turn the capability on so we have the option, with the default for the cameras to work as they currently do.

Ok, that's good.
Suggestion:
Please collect the things in this thread and post an updated Synopsis.

That's likely a good idea, but it has a problem in that threads are open, thus one is likely to get further comments to the synopsis to the synopsis, and so on and so on ad infinium. A likely better solution would be to post the summary on a blog, but I don't currently maintain one.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[Chekh]

2) Put the K-x sensor in the K7 - call the K7A. As a 2 week user of the K-x (with the K10D and K20D bodies still in my stable) I am NOT going to buy the present K7. The K7A I describe I would buy (selling the K10D and K20D bodies for what I could get, using the K-x to back up the K7A.)

Without that sensor in the K7 - I will buy the K7 on the 7th day of Never.

Me too. And WILL buy K7 Mark 2.

I also would like to have an ability to take still images when capturing video. It means that just the main trigger is not enough - one more button should be dedicated for this.

--
I'll wait a little more to have the best DSLR ever! (c)

 

[labnut]

6) Open the platform

Pentax is constantly complaining that they don't have the resources to work on > firmware updates. If that is indeed genuine - then there is increasingly a community of > developers willing to work on updates free of charge. They actually enjoy doing it. It > would also create a niche group who would buy the cameras just because they can > tinker - the Linux of the camera world.

I strongly support this suggestion. There is already an active Canon hack group doing some good work. There is a huge and vibrant worldwide open source/Linux community doing great work. An open source system for Pentax cameras would be quickly adopted by this community and some really innovative stuff is bound to come out of it.

The first mover advantage will be substantial and will give Pentax a unique advantage.

To this I would add another suggestion, that the PC software for the camera should also have a Linux version.(there are many more Linux users than the official figures suggest). To anticipate an objection, that it is difficult to develop/maintain another version, I am a software developer who develops for both PC and Linux platforms, it is not that big a deal. And if the software was open sourced the problem would go away entirely.

 

[GordonBGood]

Gordon, I have to say I am disappointed with that list. I know you want the camera to be better for a mass audience, and from that perpective they are great ideas, especially because they can be easily implemented. But, these changes will not help me at all...

Given your knowledge in sensor technology, and the obvious under-performance of the K-7 jpeg engine compared to others in reagrds to high iso noise processing, I was hoping for suggestions from you on better K-7 iso jpeg output and possibly user controlled RAW noise reduction.

The reason you don't get such suggestions from me in spite of my knowledge of sensor technology and raw processing is that I watch Pentax's evolution of cameras that have lead to the K-7 and especially the K-x and see that Pentax have finally arrived at a magic mix of technology and Noise Reduction (NR) that best suits the target market.

There very likely is a little bit of chroma NR at the sensor level for the K-x, but I don't believe that Pentax control that at all and it is provided by Sony; also, it is part of the reason that the sensor is developing such an excellent reputation for high ISO performance.

Oh, as a raw purist, I would rather than the PRIME2 engine does not apply raw NR for even ISO's of 3200 and up or that I could at least turn it off, but as a realist I know that I would likely use a similar type of NR on the images anyway, and also know that if I really want the effect of ISO 3200 and up images without any NR, I can get them by shooting underexposed ISO 1600 images and boosting them in post processing.

None of these extra options affect the user experience for Pentax DSLR's other than adding even one option to turn off the default high ISO raw NR even if PRIME2 allows this to be turned off would add to the the perceived complexity of the camera (What, how many kinds of NR does this thing have and what combination should I use?) that I concede the point and leave it to Pentax.

Does this make sense to you?

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

3) Adding Auto ISO to Manual Exposure mode for added convenience : I see no reason why Auto ISO has been forced to be disabled for use in this mode.

Wholeheartedly agree. M mode disables Auto ISO selection and there's no option to change.

my suggestions:

• User setting Minimum shutter speed setting in the auto iso modes to prevent blurring due to subject movement. Default to current behavior unless users sets the minimum. The camera would bump the ISO to maintain the mimimum. Nikon has this feature.

• User setting for minimum shutter speeds in auto flash modes. Default to current behavior unless users sets the minimum. The Kx tries to maintain a minimum shutter at the handhold with SR limit which seems to be about 1.6/FL. In normal room lighting, this leads to blurry subjects, if they move at all.

That's what Nikon does. What Pentax does is even more clever, as it automatically uses the 1/1.5 FL (Focal Length) rule without even having to make a minimum shutter speed setting, which usually results in the shutter speed we want anyway and saves us having to manually make a fixed setting.

• I haven't fully thought this through - but a screen for aperture and shutter like the very useful ISO screen. You could set min/max for auto exposure modes or default value for manual. Some of these endpoints would not be used much (highest shutter speed maybe), but you could just leave them at max. I like the idea of a common user interface to set auto limits for ISO, A, T.

I don't like the idea of even more specific setups that require a more complex planning for the use made of the camera. Upper end enthusiast cameras such as the K-7 provide something called "program line" so one can specify how the camera priorities aperture over shutter speed, which is partly why one upgrades to this level of camera eventually. I think your suggestions as formulated here add to camera complexity and take away from the user experience rather than add to it. This is part of the problem with why the K-7 has somewhat buggy behavior with Tv and Auto ISO mode: too many variables to adjust to be able to come up with a specific best exposure.

In summary, I object to any more settings than absolutely necessary in that adds to the perceived complexity of the cameras.

But thanks for the suggestion.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

Excellent suggestions, Gordon.

As I don't have a K-x nor a K-7 (I have a K20D), I can't really comment on several points.

However the one thing I would really welcome is the ability to set the minimum shutter speed. As far as I know, Nikon DSLRs now offer this feature which I find extremely useful.

It would act a bit as TAv, expect that the speed would not be constraint to a fixed value. Instead, the value would be floating with a hard minimum.

I would be very useful, especially in low light. Typically, in dark conditions I set the camera to Av mode and I set my aperture to f/2. My auto iso is set to 100-1600. Often the camera chooses iso 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/50 when I know I could easily work at 1/20.

Such a change should be easy to implement and it could very well be added to a new firmware revision.

Florent, I've already commented on this, and actually like the way that Pentax does this rather than the way Nikon does in that I don't need to set a minimum as Pentax automatically bases it on the lens focal length. However, the value chosen doesn't take into account SR or your ability to hold the camera steady. Rather than a "Nikon Auto ISO mode" what you are really asking for is the ability to bias the chosen shutter speed by so many stops to account for SR and your camera holding ability.

Wouldn't you say that is what you (and others) really want?

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[GordonBGood]

2) Put the K-x sensor in the K7 - call the K7A. As a 2 week user of the K-x (with the K10D and K20D bodies still in my stable) I am NOT going to buy the present K7. The K7A I describe I would buy (selling the K10D and K20D bodies for what I could get, using the K-x to back up the K7A.)

Without that sensor in the K7 - I will buy the K7 on the 7th day of Never.

Me too. And WILL buy K7 Mark 2.

As already discussed, this is beyond the scope of this thread which addresses improving the user experience of cameras as they exist and not directing Pentax's development efforts as to models.

I also would like to have an ability to take still images when capturing video. It means that just the main trigger is not enough - one more button should be dedicated for this.

This probably falls under the "Video is evolving" category. Technically, this is not likely currently possible with the sensors used as even a "frame grab" would cause a stutter in the video stream, let alone the ability to grab a full resolution image from the sensor, which would cause about a fifth of a second break in the video stream.

Regards, GordonBGood

 

[dlacoutu]

Really good ideas all around...

What I'd like to see added is about P-TTL flash: the damn thing already knows how to handle 4 channels, and let you use only one??? Why can't we have a nice Nikon-like Wireless control page, with 4 individual channel settings???

And one easy addition would be full manual control of old TTL flashes (instead of the current full amount) : As the camera still controls the TTL pin, it could send the TTL pulse at any user-selected time... If pentax bothers at all, you could even have a nice flash model selection to pre-calculate the available ratios...

Another simple P-TTL fix : enable it with legacy lenses... It already works great with m42 lenses, and to make it work with PK-m lenses you only have to stop-down before the first flash, and not after (as now)...

And last : put back the wireless HS feature!!! My ZX-l does it!!!

 

[dlacoutu]

And actually, for old lenses, the FL is not really taken into account for auto-iso... Floor shutter speed I have with my S-Tak 35mm is around 1/100, which is well above 1.5/FL!!!

Minor bug, but it costs me one stop of ISO quality...

 

[Thomas Karlmann]

7. As previously stated, we need to avoid highlight clipping, period. It's almost 2010, and most other systems have this issue dealt with, I think, more so than Pentax. I would also like to choose whether I want more shadow details or highlight details on a shot-by-shot basis.

There is no way to avoid highlight clipping period, nor would everyone be happy with it if there were in that sometimes we want to sacrifice highlight details in order to gain better shadow detail.

Regards, GordonBGood

Of course we could! For example: we could have a %-value of clipping that we choose on the fly -- everything above this % are highlights, below are details we want. Simple!

I'm sure there are many solutions to this -- I own the Fuji S5 which has 14 stops DR. When you say "there is no way" it just inspires me to think a bit.
--
Thom--

 

[Thomas Karlmann]

Thom, most of your suggestions are for future Pentax models, just as most of Russel's were:

Firstly, I do not own any Pentax gear, so if I err here, take that into account.

1. I would like to see the SR system provide an indication in the VF on how well the SR is going to be able to correct camera jitter. This was brought about most recently in the K-X discussions in the litter of controversy regarding DPR's test methodology -- while in point of fact there is presently no feedback to the user as to how effective SR is going to be for the upcoming shot. Yes, most of us know Sony has this type of indication in their VFs.

To me the current SR lock indication in the viewfinder is adequate in that to me it says "SR now working as well as possible". What do others think?

2. I really think I need a lamp for AF in dark situations rather than using the flash for this function. This may be specific to my potential use of the Pentax system for shots during a wedding reception's really dark dancefloor. I am not certain if Pentax or Metz flash units use the red stripe technique for AF presently. If the flash units do this, then the lamp is not necessary; plus, the lamp is at risk for increasing the camera's size -- not a good thing.

Pentax is very likely moving toward this, as the K-7 now has one. Perhaps the main reason that the K-x doesn't have it is that the K-m/K2000D didn't and it shares the same body. It may well be that all future Pentax models with new body designs get this feature.

3. Perhaps a bit more design emphasis on the AF system's tracking abilities. Again, I am not sure how well the K-7 does this, and presume the K-X is not as good. Complex topic, I have no Magic Answer. I just point out that this function is needed. Tracking AF is difficult to test for, etc, etc.

I'm sure Pentax is working on this, as they can't help be aware of the comments even for current models. These are evolutionary changes that just come with time and competition.

4. BTW, let's have full HD video -- not the present non-standard HD.

have patience, the whole DSLR industry will evolve into this over the next few years as technology enables it.

5. Why can't we have an AWB that can properly correct for tungsten light?

6. I would really appreciate a One-Button Custom White Balance. No menus, no modes, just a dedicated button that when preseed takes the readings for CWB, period. My lowly Minolta A2 has this and I absolutely love it. While we're here in WB, why not be able to store a few CWB's? Now if you really want to have folks take notice, you could also use an existing photo, press a button, and correct the photo as needed -- WAIT -- we already have this, no? Then allow it, if we cannot now, to also apply that setting to one of the CWB memories.

A reasonable set of requests, although some of them require a button. Pentax's compromise is the WB arrow key, that with a few more button presses gives a Custom WB.

The added number of CWB memories has be covered by jamesm007.

7. As previously stated, we need to avoid highlight clipping, period. It's almost 2010, and most other systems have this issue dealt with, I think, more so than Pentax. I would also like to choose whether I want more shadow details or highlight details on a shot-by-shot basis.

There is no way to avoid highlight clipping period, nor would everyone be happy with it if there were in that sometimes we want to sacrifice highlight details in order to gain better shadow detail.

We already have a control that allows us to trade off shadow detail for highlight headroom and vice versa; it called EV compensation.

8. Have an engineer go tear apart the Panasonic GH1 to find out how they did Contrast-Detect AF and just impliment it.

Oh, it isn't that it isn't known how Panasonic do this so quickly; just you might not like the solution. It requires special lenses that operate in more of a compact camera way than conventional DSLR lenses do.

9. Small Things: Fix the SD card door so folks (like reviewerers) won't complain.

Maybe that has already been done: no one has complained about the K-m's SD removal difficulty.

Regards, GordonBGood

Gordon: I think many of these suggestions could be implimented presently -- w/o a new model. For the suggestions that require a button I see there are actually two buttons free for use right now on the K-7: The playback buton and the Trash button. I think both of these could be used for other things when in shooting mode. All you have left is rear-panel labeling. Hmm, does Avery make itty bitty labels?

Hmmm, if the Playback button is used to review images, then that leaves the Trash button for my One-button CWB in shooting mode. Does that button presently do anything else?
--
Thom--

 

[dlacoutu]

Concerning the exposure accuracy, another needed fix concerns the liveview histogram/clipping displays, which are not related to the current set of parameters!!! (just try in M mode!)